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Galicia, adds that it is very rare. It is found in the countries bordering the Lower Danube and 

 in Turkey, and is stated to be common in Southern Russia, especially in the southern portion of 

 the Crimea ; and Mr. Goebel has found it breeding in the Uman district. Dr. Kriiper informs 

 me that it is common in Asia Minor, where, as in Greece, it breeds both in the hills and on the 

 plains. Near Smyrna, he says, it arrives early in April. Canon Tristram (" On the Ornithology 

 of Palestine," Ibis, 1865, p. 261) Avrites: — "Very common in spring in old ruins and olive-groves, 

 returning to Palestine about the middle of April. We found the nests both in the walls of 

 ruins and in hollow trees. No less than four birds were caught on their eggs in holes of olive- 

 trees. It does not come out so soon as Carine glaux, indeed is seldom heard till after sunset. 

 All my specimens are a little larger and decidedly paler in hue than those from the south of 

 Europe. In this respect it appears to approach the Indian Scops pennatus ; but I have not a 

 specimen by me for comparison." 



It visits North-east Africa during winter; and Captain Shelley writes (B. of Egypt, p. 178) 

 as follows : — " This little Owl extends its range throughout Egypt and Nubia, where it may 

 generally be met with in pairs or families. It appears to be most frequently found near 

 Alexandria and Cairo, but is nowhere plentiful." Dr. Th. von Heuglin says (Orn. N.O.-Afr.) 

 that it arrives in North-east Africa in the autumn, and is found there during the winter and 

 in spring, southward to Abyssinia and Sennaar, and is usually met with wandering about in pairs 

 or families. Dr. Vierthaler saw fifteen or twenty on the 25th January on the Blue Nile. Von 

 Heuglin himself observed it near Cairo between the 9th and 12th April; and on the 24th 

 September he saw it again in Central Nubia. It feeds chiefly on locusts, and appears at midday 

 not only in the shady groves, but now and again in the thin open bushes. In North-west Africa 

 it remains to breed; and Mr. O. Salvin writes (Ibis, 1859, p. 190), "in the Djendeli district we 

 found this Owl abundant; every night its peculiar cry might be heard from one or more indi- 

 viduals. Several birds were brought to us by the Arabs, which had been caught on their nests. 

 One of these, whose wing had been injured, we kept for some days in the tents ; but after a time 

 it disappeared, having probably hopped off in the night. The cry of the Scops-eared Owl is 

 admirably expressed by the Arabic name Marouf." Canon Tristram says that it is rare in the 

 oases ; and Mr. L. Taczanowski says that he only observed it once in the forest of Ajmorka. 

 According to Favier (fide Irby, I. c.) it " occurs near Tangier on passage, crossing to Europe in 

 March, returning to winter further south in September and October. Many pass the breeding- 

 season in Morocco." It is met with as far south as Senegal ; but there is another closely allied 

 form which is resident in Southern and North-eastern Africa, Scops capensis, Smith, which differs 

 from the European Scops giu in being smaller, having shorter wings, being darker grey in general 

 coloration, and having the tarsus feathered scarcely so far towards the joints of the toes. 



To the eastward the European form of the Scops Owl is found probably as far as Turkestan ; 

 for Dr. Severtzoff assures me that his specimens are absolutely undistinguishable from European 

 birds. Mr. Blanford, who met with it in Persia, says : — " The common Scops abounds in 

 gardens on the Persian highlands. There is scarcely a village with large trees in which the 

 monotonous note of this little Owl may not be heard, commencing when it grows dark in the 

 evening, and continuing at intervals throughout the night. An especially favourite tree is a 

 thick cypress. A single specimen was shot by Major St. John ; but I have no note of the locality 



